1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera that records captured images into a recording medium such as a memory card.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a type of digital camera known in the related art in which if the camera main switch is turned off before photographic image data are processed and recorded, the power to the camera is turned off only after the image data processing and the image data recording are completed (see, for instance, Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. H 11-252422).
During a continuous photographing operation (continuous shooting operation), an image is photographed before the processing and the recording of the preceeding image data read out from the image-capturing element are completed and for this reason, the image data are temporarily stored in a volatile buffer memory in such a digital camera. Then, as the main switch is turned off, the power to the camera is held in an ON state until all the image data stored in the buffer memory are transferred and recorded into the recording medium and upon completion of the recording operation, the power to the camera is turned off.
This type of digital camera has an advantage in that photographed images are recorded and thus saved with a high degree of reliability even when the main switch is turned off immediately after the photographing operation. This feature may be found particularly convenient by users to whom the characteristics inherent to digital cameras that a greater length of time must be allowed to transfer and record images into the recording medium compared to the conventional silver halide camera.
However, this type of digital camera does not accommodate a user who does not wish to record photographed images and instead wishes to start the next photographing operation immediately since the user cannot erase all the images temporarily stored in the buffer memory in a batch by turning off the main switch. Instead, the user has to wait for the recording of unnecessary images to be completed, which may cost him a good photo opportunity.
There is another type of digital camera that waits for the image data file currently being recorded into a recording medium to be completed after the camera main switch is turned off, and cuts off the power to the camera once the recording of the image data file is completed even if there are still image data files yet to be recorded present in the buffer memory.
This type of digital camera has an advantage in that since the intent of the user wishing to skip further recording of images and start the next photographing operation immediately, which is indicated by turning off the main search, is accommodated, the user can start the subsequent photographing operation right away without having to miss a good photo opportunity. However, if he turns off the main switch by mistake following a photographing operation, all the unrecorded images that are temporarily stored in the buffer memory will be erased.